Z/28. Bringing back a smog Z

[cosmic12]

Smog Z or Disco Z, I know they aren't the most popular cars and don't much care for them myself have owned so many pre 73's myself.
I have been contracted to bring this one back to life and it has a pretty interesting back story.
The owner's Mother bought it new at the local Chevy dealer drove it a few years (3)on very nice days only and putting around 2k on the mile meter all the while teasing her high school aged son and not letting him drive it but making him clean it every time it got used then putting it back inside under cover.
On his graduation day it was presented to him all paid for and registered in his name. She had a 3 year loan on it and timed it perfectly to be payed off in time for his graduation. Not only that but had put the loan and ins/reg in his name to help build his credit for getting collage loans.

Anyway, he drove it all through collage and a few years after but never did it see a N.Y. winter. He got married took it off the road and stored it in a safe clean dry warehouse and built himself a life. Two years ago he had it brought home. His 14 yr old son feel in love with it. Mike, the Dad told him if he worked hard on it to restore it that maybe someday it would be his.
The son still has no idea what the plan is but has been working his azz off on it. Now I get to make it all pretty again and become part of the story.

 

[cosmic12]

I got it with the front end off because they have been cleaning and getting ready to put in a new 350, not the orig smog motor as they have saved that one.

 

[Snake Farm]

Wow, that is a cool story! I'll be watching you work your magic. [P

 

[cosmic12]

I have started stripping the old dry cracked/checked paint and getting it in etching primer to start the real work. We got a one piece fiberglass nose to replace the POS rubber ones GM used back then that never fit or held paint very good. I hope to be able to make it look way better than the orig.

 

[cosmic12]

New nose

 

[cosmic12]

Ya, it is a neat story and the fact that his mother is still around and the plan is for it to be done and ready for his sons graduation this June is even better.
And he isn't just giving it to him, the boy is working for it.[cl

 

[forbigpicture]

great story man, and the car really looks clean....

 

[Bamamav]

I always liked those. We wanted one right after we got married in 78, ended up getting a 77 Firebird Formula instead. I saw one Friday that looked just like the one we had, don't know if it was the same one or not, it looked as it had sat outside for the last 30 years, rough. It was the right color combo though, or what was left of the color. I know you will be able to bring this one back to life, looks like a great start already!

 

[cosmic12]

It is in wonderful shape and I hope to have it done in a very short time.
I will keep posting if there is interest or it not to new.

 

[sawzall]

please keep posting.

 

[sgtpontiac]

X2 on the posting....

Interesting story and dig the build....or rebuild...was not a fan of that gen camaro but make her beautiful....the kid's in for a big surprise....

 

[Neverdone]

not my favorite Camaro but still a cool story and good luck with the refurb

 

[Country Misfit]

Kool story, Kool,car. Im tuned in.

 

[cosmic12]

Well....... The story changed a bit today. I started stripping the right quarter and found a mass amount of bondo. The whole quarter into the roof and door over a inch thick in spots.
Just when ya think you have one without someone else's problems to repair it just jumps up and bite you in the azz.
I called the owner and asked what the deal was. He said that when it came into the dealership they had scratched the right rear but were going to repair it before his Mother was to pick it up. Well,,,, it was way more then a scratch, looks more like someone put it sideways into a pole or something and they never told her about it. Looking a bit deeper in the trunk what I thought and the owner thought was heavy undercoating(they did that back then) was really bondo sprayed with undercoating.
The chit they got away with is just amazing.

 

[Country Misfit]

Never know what you got , till you strip it.

 

[Bamamav]

I've got a 99 Ranger that was done the same way. Until it was rolled over, you couldn't tell, after the rollover, both bedsides had 1/2" thick chunks of bondo fall out. Never would have know it if it hadn't wrecked.

 

[maverickmk]

I love those disco era Camaros & Trans Ams. I'll be following along . . .

 

[Snake Farm]

Wow that's crazy but I'm betting that crap happens all too often.

I know it wouldn't serve any real purpose other than to let them know that you know, but I'd be tempted to stop by the dealership and share the story with them about how this car that they sold new has remained in this family and was handed down and is being handed down again. They would probably eat up a cool story like that and then you could spring these pics on them and ask them if they still do chit like that and not tell the buyers! Who knows, maybe the old grey haired sales manager was the pimple faced wash boy who slung it into a pole doing donuts in 1978 [ddd[ddd

.

 

[cosmic12]

Myself and the owner would love to go there and kinda rub it in their face but the dealership was sold to 2 different co's. sence then and nobody from the orig is around. I do know and see the top salesman from those days and see him maybe every other year or so and I will tell him but it won't effect him in the least. Knowing him as I do he will probly laugh and try to tell me about more of this chit that happened. Fact is I wouldn't dought in the least he was the one that did it.

 

[cosmic12]

Finally got the quarter ready and in primer. While waiting for the primer to set I thought I would start stripping the hood. Well guess what I found? the whole right side covered in bondo 3/4 of a inch thick!! Sent pics off to the owner and told him we will have to revisit the estimate and if this keeps happening we will be way way over budget . Again he said he or his Mother knew nothing about this and that as far as he knows the car was never wrecked and this again had to go back to the selling dealers B.S. So I got it stripped did a bunch of hammer n dolly work and some heat shrinking and got it back in shape good enough for a very small skim coat. Oh ya the back 1/2 is all stripped and primed.